Sudden death and the competitive athlete: Perspectives on preparticipation screening studies

Sudden death and the competitive athlete: perspectives on preparticipation screening studies.

Sudden death in healthy athletes is uncommon but, when it occurs, the primary mechanism is cardiovascular. The major cause of sudden death in the young athlete is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or related conditions characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy, aortic rupture due to cystic medial necrosis and congenital coronary artery abnormalities. In the middle-aged or older athlete, coronary ...

Preparticipation screening for the detection of cardiovascular abnormalities that may cause sudden death in competitive athletes.

Trends in sudden cardiovascular death in young competitive athletes after implementation of a preparticipation screening program.

CONTEXT A nationwide systematic preparticipation athletic screening was introduced in Italy in 1982. The impact of such a program on prevention of sudden cardiovascular death in the athlete remains to be determined. OBJECTIVE To analyze trends in incidence rates and cardiovascular causes of sudden death in young competitive athletes in relation to preparticipation screening. DESIGN, SETTING...

Sudden cardiac death in athletes--does preparticipation screening help?

Sir, A changing trend is being seen in schools of getting a health check up done and getting a cardiac clearance done by the physician for the children opting for competitive sports to avoid any mishap leading to sudden cardiac death (SCD). Sudden cardiac death is defined as an instant unexpected death which occurs in one hour of onset of symptoms most commonly due to tachyarrhythmias. Sudden c...

Sudden Death in the Athlete

Arrhythmias in the athlete can range from benign and asymptomatic to highly symptomatic and life-threatening. There is risk of not diagnosing an important cardiovascular condition which may predispose to a serious or life threatening arrhythmia. At the same time there is the risk of unnecessarily restricting the athlete with a more benign condition. Sudden cardiac death in the athlete, although...